I shall be in Halton Lea Gate tomorrow night for a public meeting in the church hall to update locals on the developments concerning the Open Cast application; I was asked to organise this meeting by the parish council on the back of the meeting we held in mid August of 2012, shortly after the applicant got permission. For a fuller report of that meeting see here: http://guyopperman.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/halton-lea-gate-opencast-meeting.html
Since then the local community has challenged the inspectors decision and has obtained a Protective Costs Order, which indemnifies the community against the full costs of disputing the decision were they to lose.
It is clear that the applicant is struggling to satisfy the conditions attached to the permission in any event.
Some of the local elected representatives will be there as well.
In addition, I will try and update locals on the ongoing consultation on Herdley Bank School and travel costs.
For the report of the previous meeting last month see here: http://guyopperman.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/school-transport-meeting-with-parents.html
We will be encouraging local people to lobby the Northumberland County Council to stop the discrimination and denial of travel costs. It is an outrage.
Today I met with locals in Blenkinsopp, Hexham and Tranwell to discuss their various concerns. The Tranwell meeting this afternoon saw a site visit to the proposed Tranwell wind farm site and a 45 minute meeting with concerned locals.
